Nobody Falls for the Opening Act (Break the Rules Book 2)

Chapter 16

What a load of horseshit.

I’d throw this book across the room, but I really like this tablet.

Instead, I toss it onto the bed, but not before deleting the eBook, so I never have to look at it again.

Stupid ooey-gooey romance novels!

I pick up my phone to check the time. Has it really only been an hour since we got back from the concert? One nice thing about this leg of the tour is that the venues are smaller, so the after-show meet and greets don’t take nearly as long to get through. We made it back here just after midnight. With all the long nights in the Denver mountains lately, I sluggishly dismissed myself back to my room rather than take part in tonight’s see what happens.

While trying to drift off, I cracked open Soulmates in Sixty Seconds to doze off even faster… but ended up finishing it instead.

Bad idea.

Now, I’m just pissed.

I roll out of bed. After slipping on some pants and shoes, I step out into the quiet hallway. Maybe a walk around the courtyard will make me tired or, hopefully, get this book out of my system.

I ride the elevator down to the golden lobby. As I pass by the front desk, I exchange a friendly wave with the girl behind it, and step outside into the courtyard between the two towers. It’s nice and warm, with the slightest breeze. A perfect night for stargazing… if you could actually see the stars.

I look up and see darkness. A few specks of light here and there. But mostly darkness.

“Oh. Hey, Addison.”

I follow the familiar voice and see Harvey sitting on the bench by the fountain. “Hey,” I say, my mood leaping slightly at the sight of him. I walk over and he sits up, quickly flipping the little Botsford Plaza gift shop notebook in his hand closed. “What are you doing out here so late?” I ask.

“Nothing. Just hanging out. I couldn’t sleep.” He smiles. “Some girl kept me up pretty late the last few nights, so…”

I smile, too. “May I?” I ask, gesturing toward the empty half of his bench.

“Yeah, of course.” He scoots an inch over even though he doesn’t need to, and I sit down. “It’s a nice night.”

“Yeah,” I say, looking up again. “It is.”

“You couldn’t sleep either?”

“Nope.”

Harvey fidgets as if he wants to say something else, but he hesitates in that awkward way he usually does. Normally, I’d find that infuriating but, over the last few weeks of being on the road, I’ve come to find it… somewhat endearing.

“Harvey,” I say after a minute.

His back straightens. “Yeah?”

“Did you really read Soulmates in Sixty Seconds?”

“I did.”

“Did you like it?”

“Uh… yeah. Sure. I mean, it’s not my usual read, but I found it entertaining enough. Why? Did you finish it?”

I twist to look at him. “I did.”

“And?” he asks, already facing me.

“I fucking hated it.”

He laughs, the sound echoing pleasantly throughout the courtyard. “What did you hate about it?” he asks.

“Everything.”

“Everything?”

“Well, not everything,” I admit. “The sex was admittedly top-notch.”

Harvey nods, his cheeks flushing red.

“It’s the rest of it I didn’t understand,” I say. “I mean, Richard was an ass. He stood in Melissa’s way at every opportunity, practically ruined her life — her career — for his own selfish pursuits, but one little flash mob apology at the end and all is forgiven? I call bullshit.”

“Well, Richard sacrificed his company for her,” he says. “He gave it all up to be with her.”

I scoff. “For a seven-figure payout.”

“Which he used to buy her dream house.”

“So, that’s what love is?” I ask. “Sorry for the months of emotional abuse, darling, but have you seen the cabinets in this kitchen?”

Harvey turns up his hands as he laughs. “For some people, sure.”

I sit back on the bench, still unsure. “Do you believe in love, Harvey?” I ask.

He blinks, but doesn’t hesitate. “Yes. Absolutely, I do.”

“Why?” I ask. “Have you ever been in love?”

“Well… no,” he says. “But I’ve seen it.”

“Where?”

“Back home at Chicago North.”

“Back home… in your frat house?” I ask, doubtful. “Alpine Duder Snooze?”

“Alpha Delta Xi.”

I smirk. “Right, that one.”

“And yes,” he says. “I’ve seen love in a frat house.”

“Tell me about it.”

Harvey nods. “All right,” he says, sitting up. “It started with a dick drawing.”

“It what?”

“One of my housemates found out that his roommate was dating his little sister behind his back,” he says. “He only found out about them because she drew a few… naughty portraits that ended up in an art competition by accident.”

“You know, I’ve heard of dick pics leaking, but not dick portraits.”

“Anything can happen on Greek Row,” he says. “Turns out they had been dating for months. This goes against the Bro Code of Conduct, so?—”

“I’m sorry,” I say, amused. “There’s a Bro Code of Conduct?”

“Dating your best friend’s little sister is a huge no-no,” he says. “Especially deflowering her, too, which he did — or so I heard.”

“Why would your housemate even care who his sister dated?”

“Well—”

“How is that any of his business?”

“Let me finish,” Harvey says. I close my smiling lips. “After the fallout, the two broke up. And my housemate, who should have been victorious, saw how miserable the two of them were apart. So, he put aside his feelings about it, and gave them his blessing. They’re still together to this day.”

“And?” I ask.

“And that’s love.”

“That’s a brother being weirdly involved in his sister’s private business.”

“You’ve never seen Knox be a little overprotective of Katrina?”

I consider, then nod. “Still a weird example.”

“Okay, then.” Harvey sits forward. “How about this one? Classic set up. The quarterback and the coach’s daughter.”

I roll my eyes. “Oh, come on.”

“Another housemate of mine,” he says. “He fell head over cleats in love with her. When the coach found out they were together, he benched him; wouldn’t let him play in the most important game of the season.”

“How dramatic,” I quip.

“Then…”Harvey pauses for effect. “When the coach made him choose between football and her, he chose her. Tossed his helmet on the field and walked off — or so I heard.”

I wait for more. “And?”

“Football was his entire life,” he says. “He gave it all up to be with her and their baby.”

“He knocked her up?” I ask, surprised.

“He did.”

“Yeah, I’d have kicked his ass off my field, too.”

Harvey laughs. “You know, most people who hear that story don’t side with the bad guy.”

“Most people are morons.”

“Well…” He sighs and sits back. “That’s love. At least, I think it is.”

“Got any more?”

“Sure. I’ve got plenty, but…” He tilts his head. “I’m not sure you’d appreciate them.”

“So, it’s all just a bunch of gestures, huh?” I ask, genuinely curious.

“No, it’s…” Harvey pauses for a moment. “It’s showing up. You know? It’s being there. It’s finding that one person who means more to you than anything else in the world and choosing them. Over and over again. No matter what. When they need you, you’re there. Always. And in return, you know you can count on them, too.”

I look up into the way-too-black sky for a moment, letting it all sink in. “Helps if the sex is top-notch, too, I guess,” I say.

“Yeah,” Harvey says. “Or so I hear.”

I smile. “Well, thanks for trying, Harvey, but… I remain skeptical.”

“That’s okay,” he says. “Hopefully, someday, you’ll meet somebody who makes a believer out of you.”

“Yeah,” I say, still so unsure. “Katrina said the same thing. Sort of.”

“Kat is a smart gal.”

“She sure is.”

We sit quietly for a few minutes, enjoying the breeze and the sounds of the fountain ahead.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice the softness in his posture. Harvey seems looser now. Less fidgety. More at ease with me now that we’re… friends.

So am I.

I tap the Plaza notebook resting on his thigh. “What are you working on?” I ask.

He grabs it and shifts it out of my reach. “Nothing.”

“Well, that’s bullshit.”

“Okay. Yeah.” Harvey nods. “I’m working on some new material. We all are, aren’t we?”

“Yeah, but we have a Battle of the Bands to worry about. What’s yours for?”

“Still need a few tracks to fill out an album,” he says. “And Harmony and I are thinking of putting something together.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Can I see it?”

He keeps it far away from me. “No.”

I smile. Can’t help it. “All right,” I say as I stand up. “In that case, you doing anything right now?”

“Uh, no,” he says. “Just thought I’d sit here and jot some thoughts down until I get sleepy.”

“Come on,” I say. “I know a good bar nearby. It should still be open.”

“I’m sorry. You want to go to a bar?”

“Yeah.”

“Right now?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m still wide awake.” I smirk. “And I want my rematch.”

Harvey’s stare softens, his eyes flashing with interest as he stands up off the bench. “Okay,” he says. “Lead the way, babe.”

I glare.

“I mean…” His throat clears. “Ms. Abbey.”